In an impressive display of skill, Team Liquid has emerged victorious at The International 13 Dota 2 tournament, decisively defeating Gaimin Gladiators 3-0 in the grand final to claim the title of world champions. Entering the tournament as one of the favorites, Team Liquid faced skepticism due to their history of falling short in Grand Finals, particularly against Gaimin Gladiators. Many viewed them as underdogs going into the final match. However, they silenced any doubts with a commanding performance, solidifying their status as the best Dota 2 team in the world. This victory marks Team Liquid’s second win at The International, although it is the first for this particular roster. Notably, Neta “33” Shapira joins the ranks of a select few players to have won The International twice, having previously clinched the title in 2022 with Tundra Esports.

Along with lifting the coveted Aegis of Champions, Team Liquid takes home over $1.1 million in prize money, while Gaimin Gladiators will receive just over $350,000 for their second-place finish. Throughout the tournament, Team Liquid showcased their dominance. Their only loss came against defending champions Team Spirit during the group stage. Following that setback, they embarked on an impressive upper bracket run, defeating several strong contenders, including Xtreme Gaming, Cloud9, and Gaimin Gladiators. When the grand final began, Liquid quickly established their dominance despite Gaimin Gladiators arriving with momentum after defeating Tundra Esports in the lower bracket final earlier that day. Liquid secured two straightforward victories in the opening games, utilizing a powerful combination of Nature’s Prophet, Shadow Demon, and Tusk. In the third game, although they had to adapt their hero choices, Liquid continued their winning streak, leaving Gaimin Gladiators with little chance to recover.

While the final may not have met the lofty expectations of an epic showdown, Liquid’s decisive victory represents a satisfying conclusion to their journey, as they finally overcame their Grand Finals curse on the grandest stage. This win will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most cherished moments in Dota 2 history.

Finals Match Overview: Team Liquid vs. Gaimin Gladiators

The grand finals kicked off with Gaimin Gladiators deploying their signature aura-centric draft, featuring Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov on Chaos Knight, Marcus “Ace” Hoelgaard on Underlord, and Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp on Chen, with a surprising mid Riki played by Quinn “Quinn” Callahan.

Quinn’s Riki made an immediate impact, securing first blood against Nisha’s Puck and dominating the early game. He led his team in crucial engagements, effectively using Smoke Screen to hinder Nisha’s progress.

However, Liquid turned the tide around the 18-minute mark as they set up for team fights. Boxi’s Tusk and Insania’s Shadow Demon provided crucial saves, allowing Nisha to unleash chaos. Meanwhile, miCKe on Nature’s Prophet and 33 on Visage dealt significant damage from a distance, demolishing enemy towers once the fights concluded.

With momentum on their side, Liquid secured the Aegis of the Immortal for miCKe and began their siege on Gaimin Gladiators’ base. Despite losing a couple of heroes during their retreat, Liquid regrouped and won a decisive team fight, forcing a GG call after 29 minutes.

In game two, Liquid returned the favor, employing a high-tempo lineup with miCKe and Nisha on Nature’s Prophet and 33 on Bristleback, while Boxi and Insania provided familiar support. Quinn switched to Puck, but Nisha exacted revenge for his earlier struggles, leading to three crippling deaths for Quinn in the first 16 minutes.

With 33’s Bristleback becoming an unstoppable force, Liquid took down Gaimin Gladiators’ bottom set of barracks by the 22-minute mark. Although Gladiators managed to repel another push, Liquid’s relentless aggression led to a decisive victory in the game’s crucial moments, taking a 2-0 lead in the series.

For the final game, Liquid reverted to their high-tempo strategy, with miCKe on Nature’s Prophet, Nisha on Puck, and 33 on Visage. The support duo switched to more aggressive heroes, with Boxi on Dark Willow and Insania on Clockwerk.

Despite a promising start for Gaimin Gladiators, Liquid quickly gained control, securing four kills in a river clash at the 12-minute mark. They continued to dominate, particularly in a fight near Gladiators’ bottom tier two tower, where Nisha executed a stunning three-man Dream Coil.

Liquid aimed to extend their lead by stealing the opposing Tormentor, but Gaimin Gladiators retaliated behind Quinn’s Pangolier, trading kills. Nevertheless, Liquid’s resilience shone through as they forced the final GG call after 34 minutes, completing a 3-0 sweep and claiming the TI 2024 championship.

This year’s iteration of The International featured 16 of the world’s best teams competing for their share of a $2.54 million prize pool and the Aegis of Champions. The event took place from September 4 to 15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and was divided into three phases: the Group stage, Seeding Deciders, and Playoffs, culminating in an exhilarating Finals Weekend showcasing the top eight teams.